Newark Black Film Festival

Newark Black Film Festival
Friday, Jul 18, 2025 at 5:30pm
The Newark Museum Of Art
49 Washington Street

The Newark Black Film Festival, the longest-running Black film festival in the United States, has been a pivotal platform for Black filmmakers, actors, and storytellers since 1974. It showcases films that explore the intricacies of the Black experience, reflecting diverse narratives and fostering cultural enrichment.

The longest-running Black film festival in the US returns

Schedule of Events:

5:30 - 7:15pm - Dahomey

Dahomey (1h 8 min) Not rated 

Directed by Mati Diop 

Dahomey traces the historic repatriation of 26 royal treasures from France to Benin, simultaneously forging a speculative and political reflection on cultural heritage, collective memory, and the implications of restitution. 

Ancestral Call (Screens prior to Dahomey) (16 min) Not rated 

Directed by Sonia Kennebeck and Tetiana Anderson 

Danielle Scott, a Black, Polish-Jewish, and Asian mixed-media artist at the cusp of international fame, risks her own wellbeing by exposing herself to the intergenerational trauma of the Atlantic Slave Trade. 

The screenings will be followed by a panel discussion. 

7:30pm - 10pm - Cooley High with Michael Schultz in-person

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of this classic film with director, Michael Schultz. 

Cooley High (1h 47 min) Not rated 

A presentation honoring the film’s director Michael Schultz will take place before the film begins. 

Set in 1964 Chicago, Cooley High is a slice-of-life tale of two high school students coping with the challenges of everyday life. 

Closed Captioning will be provided.  

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